The story of the Prophet Shu'ayb (as)

The Prophet Shu'ayb (as) Was Sent to Madyan
As a Messenger

And to Madyan We sent their brother Shu'ayb who said, 'My people, worship Allah! You have no other god than Him. A Clear Sign has come to you from your Lord. Give full measure and full weight. Do not diminish people's goods. Do not cause corruption in the land after it has been put right. That is better for you if you are believers. (Surat al-A'raf, 85)

And to Madyan We sent their brother Shu'ayb, he said, 'My people, worship Allah and look to the Last Day and do not act unjustly on earth, corrupting it.' (Surat al-'Ankabut, 36)

And to Madyan their brother Shu'ayb. He said, 'My people, worship Allah! You have no god apart from Him. Do not give short measure and short weight. I see you prospering and I fear for you the punishment of an all-encompassing Day. (Surah Hud, 84)

The Prophet Shu'ayb (as) Called His People to Religion

And to Madyan We sent their brother Shu'ayb who said, 'My people, worship Allah! You have no other god than Him. A Clear Sign has come to you from your Lord. Give full measure and full weight. Do not diminish people's goods. Do not cause corruption in the land after it has been put right. That is better for you if you are believers. Do not lie in wait on every pathway, threatening people, barring those who believe from the Way of Allah, desiring to make it crooked. Remember when you were few and He increased your number: see the final fate of the corrupters! (Surat al-A'raf, 85-86)

And to Madyan We sent their brother Shu'ayb who said, 'My people, worship Allah! You have no other god than Him. A Clear Sign has come to you from your Lord. Give full measure and full weight. Do not diminish people's goods. Do not cause corruption in the land after it has been put right. That is better for you if you are believers. (Surat al-A'raf, 85)

And to Madyan their brother Shu'ayb. He said, 'My people, worship Allah! You have no god apart from Him. Do not give short measure and short weight. I see you prospering and I fear for you the punishment of an all-encompassing Day. My people! Give full measure and full weight with justice; do not diminish people's goods; and do not go about the earth, corrupting it. What endures with Allah is better for you if you are believers. I am not set over you as your keeper.' (Surah Hud, 84-86)

The People of Madyan Ridicule the Prophet Shu'ayb (as)

They said, 'Shu'ayb, do your prayers instruct you that we should abandon what our fathers worshipped or stop doing whatever we want to with our wealth? You are clearly the forbearing, the rightly-guided!' (Surah Hud, 87)

The Prophet Shu'ayb's (as) Persistence in
Communicating the Message of Religion

He said, 'My people! What do you think? If I do possess a Clear Sign from my Lord and He has given me His good provision, I would clearly not want to go behind your backs and do something I have forbidden you to do. I only want to put things right as far as I can. My success is with Allah alone. I have put my trust in Him and I turn to Him. My people! Do not let your breach with me provoke you into doing wrong so that the same thing happens to you as happened to the people of Nuh and the people of Hud and the people of Salih; and the people of Lut are not far distant from you. Ask your Lord for forgiveness and then repent to Him. My Lord is Most Merciful, Most Loving.' (Surah Hud, 88-90)

The People of Madyan Threaten the Prophet Shu'ayb (as)

The ruling circle of those of his people who were arrogant said, 'We will drive you out of our city, Shu'ayb, you and those who believe along with you, unless you return to our religion.' He said, 'What, even though we detest it? We would be inventing lies against Allah if we returned to your religion after Allah has saved us from it. We could never return to it unless Allah our Lord so willed. Our Lord encompasses everything in His knowledge. We have put our trust in Allah. Our Lord, judge between us and our people with truth. You are the best of judges.' The ruling circle of those of his people who were disbelievers said, 'If you follow Shu'ayb, you will definitely be lost.' (Surah al-A'raf, 88-90)

They said, 'Shu'ayb, We do not understand much of what you say and we see you are weak among us. Were it not for your clan, we would have stoned you. We do not hold you in high esteem!' (Surah Hud, 91)

He said, 'My people! Do you esteem my clan more than you do Allah? You have made Him into something to cast disdainfully behind your backs! But my Lord encompasses everything that you do! My people! Do as you think best. That is what I am doing. You will certainly come to know who will receive a punishment to disgrace him, and who is a liar. So look out. I will be on the lookout with you.' (Surah Hud, 92-93)

The Destruction of Madyan

When Our command came, We rescued Shu'ayb and those who believed along with him by a mercy from Us. The Great Blast seized hold of those who did wrong and morning found them lying flattened in their homes. (Surah Hud, 94)

And to Madyan We sent their brother Shu'ayb, he said, 'My people, worship Allah and look to the Last Day and do not act unjustly on earth, corrupting it.' But they denied him so the earthquake seized them and morning found them lying flattened in their homes. (Surat al-'Ankabut, 36-37)

as if they had never lived there at all. Yes indeed! Away with Madyan just like Thamud! (Surah Hud, 95)

As for those who denied Shu'ayb, it was as if they had never lived there. It was the people who denied Shu'ayb who were the lost. So he turned away from them and said, 'My people, I transmitted My Lord's message to you and gave you good counsel. Why should I grieve for a disbelieving people?' (Surat al-A'raf, 92-93)

The Prophet Shu'ayb (as) is Also Sent to
the Thicket as a Messenger

The Companions of the Thicket denied the Messengers, when Shu'ayb said of all the worlds. (Surat ash-Shu'ara', 176-180)

The Prophet Shu'ayb's (as) Efforts to Correct
Morally Degenerate People

Give full measure. Do not skimp. Weigh with a level balance. Do not diminish people's goods and do not go about the earth, corrupting it. Have fear of Him Who created you and the earlier creatures.' (Surat ash-Shu'ara', 181-184)

The Reply of the People of the Thicket

They said, 'You are merely someone bewitched. You are nothing but a human being like ourselves. We think you are a liar. So make lumps from heaven fall down on us if you are telling the truth.' (Surat ash-Shu'ara', 185-187)

The Destruction of the Thicket

The Companions of the Thicket denied the Messengers. (Surat ash-Shu'ara', 176)

He said, 'My Lord knows best what you are doing.' They denied him and the punishment of the Day of Shadow came down on them. It was indeed the punishment of a terrible Day. There is certainly a Sign in that, yet most of them are not believers. (Surat ash-Shu'ara', 188-190)

The people of the Thicket were also wrongdoers. We took revenge on them as well. They are both beside a well-beaten track. (Surat al-Hijr, 78-79)

THE STORY OF the PROPHET Musa (AS)
AND the PROPHET HARUN (AS)

We recite to you with truth some news of Musa and Pharaoh for people who believe. (Surat al-Qasas, 3)

The Tribe of Israel in Egypt

We recite to you with truth some news of Musa and Pharaoh for people who believe. Pharaoh exalted himself arrogantly in the land and divided its people into camps, oppressing one group of them by slaughtering their sons and letting their women live. He was one of the corrupters. We desired to show kindness to those who were oppressed in the land and to make them leaders and make them inheritors and establish them firmly in the land and to show Pharaoh and Haman and their troops the very thing that they were fearing from them. (Surat al-Qasas, 3-6)

The Birth of the Prophet Musa (as) and Allah's Promise

We revealed to Musa's mother, 'Suckle him and then when you fear for him cast him into the sea. Do not fear or grieve; We will return him to you and make him one of the Messengers.' The family of Pharaoh picked him up so that he might be an enemy and a source of grief to them. Certainly Pharaoh and Haman and their troops were in the wrong. The wife of Pharaoh said, 'A source of delight for me and for you; do not kill him. It may well be that he will be of use to us or perhaps we could adopt him as a son.' They were not aware. Musa's mother felt a great emptiness in her heart and she almost gave him away; only We fortified her heart so that she would be one of the believers. She said to his sister, 'Go after him.' And she kept an eye on him from afar and they were not aware. And We had before forbidden foster-mothers for him, so she said: Shall I show you a household who will rear him for you and take care of him? That is how We returned him to his mother so that she might delight her eyes and feel no grief and so that she would know that Allah's promise is true. But most of them do not know this. And when he reached his full strength and maturity, We gave him judgement and knowledge. That is how We recompense good-doers. (Surat al-Qasas, 7-14)

The Prophet Musa (as) is Involved
in an Incident in the City

He entered the city at a time when its inhabitants were unaware and found two men fighting there – one from his party and the other from his enemy. The one from his party asked for his support against the other from his enemy. So Musa hit him, dealing him a fatal blow. He said, 'This is part of Satan's handiwork. He truly is an outright and misleading enemy.' He said, 'My Lord, I have wronged myself. Forgive me.' So He forgave him. He is the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. He said, 'My Lord, because of Your blessing to me, I will never be a supporter of evildoers.' Morning found him in the city, fearful and on his guard. Then suddenly the man who had sought his help the day before, shouted for help from him again. Musa said to him, 'You are clearly a misguided man.' But when he was about to grab the man who was their common enemy, he said, 'Musa! Do you want to kill me just as you killed a person yesterday? You only want to be a tyrant in the land; you do not want to be a reformer.' (Surat al-Qasas, 15-19)

The Prophet Musa's (as) Departure from Egypt

A man came running from the furthest part of the city, saying, 'Musa, the Council are conspiring to kill you, so leave! I am someone who brings you good advice.' So he left there fearful and on his guard, saying, 'My Lord, rescue me from the people of the wrongdoers!' (Surat al-Qasas, 20-21)

The Prophet Musa's (as) Prayer to Allah for Help

When turned his face in the direction of Madyan, he said, 'Hopefully my Lord will guide me to the right way.' When he arrived at the water of Madyan, he found a crowd of people drawing water there. Standing apart from them, he found two women, holding back their sheep. He said, 'What are you two doing here?' They said, 'We cannot draw water until the shepherds have driven off their sheep. You see our father is a very old man.' So he drew water for them and then withdrew into the shade and said, 'My Lord, I am truly in need of any good You have in store for me.' (Surat al-Qasas, 22-24)

The Days of the Prophet Musa (as) in Madyan

One of them came walking shyly up to him and said, 'My father invites you so that he can pay you your wage for drawing water for us.' When he came to him and told him the whole story he said, 'Have no fear, you have escaped from wrongdoing people.' One of them said, 'Hire him, father. The best person to hire is someone strong and trustworthy.' He said, 'I would like to marry you to one of these two daughters of mine on condition that you work for me for eight full years. If you complete ten, that is up to you. I do not want to be hard on you. You will find me, Allah willing, to be one of the righteous.' He said, 'That is agreed between me and you. Whichever of the two terms I fulfil, there should be no bad feeling towards me. Allah is Guardian over what we say.' (Surat al-Qasas, 25-28)

The Prophet Musa's (as) Departure from Madyan

When Musa had fulfilled the appointed term and had set off with his family, he noticed a fire from one side of the Mount. He said to his family, 'Stay here, I can see a fire. Hopefully I will bring you back some news from it or a burning branch from the fire so that you will be able to warm yourselves.' (Surat al-Qasas, 29)

The Prophet Musa (as) is Endowed with Prophethood

But when he reached it a voice called out to him from the right hand side of the valley in the part which was full of blessing, from out of the bush: 'Musa, I am Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. (Surat al-Qasas, 30)

I am your Lord. Take off your sandals. You are in the holy valley of Tuwa. I have chosen you, so listen well to what is revealed. I am Allah. There is no god but Me, so worship Me and perform prayer to remember Me. The Hour is coming but I have concealed it so that every self can be repaid for its efforts. Do not let those who do not believe in it and follow their whims and desires debar you from it or you will be destroyed. (Surah Ta Ha, 12-16)

The Prophet Musa's (as) Miracles

What is that in your right hand, Musa?' He said, 'It is my staff. I lean on it and beat down leaves for my sheep with it and have other uses for it.' He said, 'Throw it down, Musa.' He threw it down and suddenly it was a slithering snake. (Surah Ta Ha, 17-20)

Throw down your staff!' Then when he he saw it slithering like a snake he turned and fled and did not turn back again. 'Musa, approach and have no fear! You are one of those who are secure. (Surat al-Qasas, 31)

Throw down your staff.' Then when he saw it slithering like a snake he turned and fled and did not turn back again. 'Have no fear, Musa. In My Presence the Messengers have no fear. (Surat an-Naml, 10)

He said, 'Take hold of it and have no fear. We will return it to its original form. Put your hand under your arm and press it to your side. It will emerge pure white yet quite unharmed, another Sign. (Surah Ta Ha, 21-22)

Put your hand inside your shirt front. It will emerge pure white yet quite unharmed. And hug your arms to your sides to still your fear. These are two proofs from your Lord for Pharaoh and his ruling circle. They are a deviant people.' (Surat al-Qasas, 32)

In this way We show you some of Our greatest Signs. (Surah Ta Ha, 23)

The Prophet Musa (as) is Appointed to Communicate
the Message of Religion to Pharaoh

Go to Pharaoh. He has overstepped the bounds.' (Surah Ta Ha, 24)

'Go to Pharaoh – he has overstepped the limits. (Surat an-Nazi'at, 17)

The Prophet Musa's (as) Prayer to Allah for Help

He said, 'O Lord, expand my breast for me. (Surah Ta Ha, 25)

He said, 'My Lord, I killed one of them and I am afraid they will kill me. (Surat al-Qasas, 33)

He said, 'My Lord, I fear they will deny me. (Surat ash-Shu'ara', 12)

and make my task easy for me. Loosen the knot in my tongue so that they will understand my words. Assign me a helper from my family, my brother Harun. (Surah Ta Ha, 26-30)

and my brother Harun is more eloquent than me so send him with me to support me and back me up. I am afraid they will call me a liar.' (Surat al-Qasas, 34)

Strengthen my back by him and let him share in my task, so that we can glorify You much and remember You much, (Surah Ta Ha, 31-34)

They said, 'Our Lord, we are afraid that he might persecute us or overstep the bounds.' (Surah Ta Ha, 45)

They hold a wrong action against me and I fear that they may kill me.' He said, 'By no means! Go, both of you, with Our Signs. We will certainly be together with you, listening. (Surat ash-Shu'ara', 14-15)

Allah's Reply to the Prophet Musa's (as) Prayer

He said, 'Have no fear. I will be with you, All-Hearing and All-Seeing. (Surah Ta Ha, 46)

He said, 'We will reinforce you with your brother and by Our Signs will give you both authority, so that they will not be able to lay a hand on you. You and those who follow you will be the victors.' (Surat al-Qasas, 35)

He said, 'Your request has been granted, Musa We were gracious to you another time. (Surah Ta Ha, 36-37)

I have chosen you for Myself. Go, you and your brother, with My Signs and do not slacken in remembering Me. Go to Pharaoh; he has overstepped the bounds. But speak to him with gentle words so that hopefully he will pay heed or show some fear.' (Surah Ta Ha, 41-44)

The Prophet Musa (as) and the Prophet Harun (as)
Call Pharaoh to Religion

Go to Pharaoh and say, "We are the Messenger of the Lord of all the worlds. (Surat ash-Shu'ara', 16)

Go to him and say, "We are your Lord's Messengers so send the tribe of Israel away with us and do not punish them. We have brought you a Sign from your Lord. Peace be upon those who follow the guidance. It has been revealed to us that punishment is for him who denies the truth and turns away."' (Surah Ta Ha, 47-48)

And say: "Do you resolve to purify yourself. I will guide you to your Lord so that you may fear Him?"' (Surat an-Nazi'at, 18-19)

The First Reaction of Pharaoh

He said, 'Did we not bring you up among us as a child and did you not spend many years of your life among us? Yet you did the deed you did and were ungrateful.' He said, 'At the time I did it I was one of the misguided and so I fled from you when I was in fear of you but my Lord gave me right judgement and made me one of the Messengers. And anyway you can only reproach me with this favour because you made the tribe of Israel into slaves!' (Surat ash-Shu'ara', 18-22)

The Prophet Musa's (as) Communication of
Religion to Pharaoh

Pharaoh said, 'What is the Lord of all the worlds?' He said, 'The Lord of the heavens and the earth and everything between them if you knew for sure.' (Surat ash-Shu'ara', 23-24)

He said, 'Your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers, the previous peoples.' (Surat ash-Shu'ara', 26)

He said, 'The Lord of the East and the West and everything between them if you used your intellect.' (Surat ash-Shu'ara', 28)

He said, 'Our Lord is He Who gives each thing its created form and then guides it.' He said, 'What about the previous generations?' He said, 'Knowledge of them is with my Lord in a Book. My Lord does not misplace nor does He forget.' It is He Who made the earth a cradle for you and threaded pathways for you through it and sent down water from the sky by which We have brought forth various different types of plants. Eat and pasture your cattle. Certainly there are Signs in that for people of sound intellect. From it We created you, to it We will return you, and from it We will bring you forth a second time. (Surah Ta Ha, 50-55)

Pharaoh's Insolence

He said to those around him, 'Are you listening?' (Surat ash-Shu'ara', 25)

He said, 'This Messenger, who has been sent to you, is mad.' (Surat ash-Shu'ara', 27)

He said, 'If you take any god other than me, I will certainly throw you into prison.' (Surat ash-Shu'ara', 29)

Miracles the Prophet Musa (as) Performed

He said, 'Even if I were to bring you something undeniable?' He said, 'Produce it then if you are someone telling the truth.' So He threw down his staff and there it was, unmistakably a snake. And he drew out his hand and there it was, pure white to those who looked. (Surat ash-Shu'ara', 30-33)

Pharaoh Accuses the Prophet Musa (as)
of Practicing Magic

He said to the High Council round about him, 'This certainly is a skilled magician who desires by his magic to expel you from your land, so what do you recommend?' They said, 'Detain him and his brother and send out marshals to the cities, to bring you all the skilled magicians.' (Surat ash-Shu'ara', 34-37)

He said, 'Have you come to us to expel us from our land by means of your magic, Musa? (Surah Ta Ha, 57)

Pharaoh's Intention to Confront
the Prophet Musa (as) with Magicians

We will bring you magic to match it. So fix a time between us and you which neither we nor you will fail to keep at a place where we can meet halfway.' He said, 'Your time is the day of the Festival. The people should gather in the morning.' (Surah Ta Ha, 58-59)

So the magicians were assembled for a meeting on a specified day. The people were asked, 'Are you all assembled. (Surat ash-Shu'ara', 38-39)

When the magicians came, they said to Pharaoh, 'Will we be rewarded if we are the winners?' He said, 'Yes, and in that case you will be among those brought near.' (Surat ash-Shu'ara', 41-42)

The Confrontation of the Prophet Musa (as)
with the Magicians

They said, 'Musa, will you throw first or shall we be the ones to throw?' (Surat al-A'raf, 115)

Musa said to them, 'Throw whatever it is you are going to throw!' (Surat ash-Shu'ara', 43)

The Magic of the Magicians

He said, 'You throw.' And when they threw, they cast a spell on the people's eyes and caused them to feel great fear of them. They produced an extremely powerful magic. (Surat al-A'raf, 116)

He said, 'No, you throw!' And suddenly their ropes and staffs appeared to him, by their magic, to be slithering about. Musa experienced in himself a feeling of alarm. We said, 'Have no fear. You will have the upper hand. (Surah Ta Ha, 66-68)

When they had thrown, Musa said, 'What you have brought is magic. Allah will certainly prove it false. Allah does not uphold the actions of corrupters.' Allah confirms the Truth by His words, even though the evildoers hate it. (Surah Yunus, 81-82)

The Prophet Musa's (as) Superiority over the Magicians

Throw down what is in your right hand. It will swallow up their handiwork. Their handiwork is just a magician's trick. Magicians do not prosper wherever they go.' (Surah Ta Ha, 69)

We revealed to Musa, 'Throw down your staff.' And it immediately swallowed up what they had forged. So the Truth took place and what they did was shown to be false. They were defeated then and there, transformed into humbled men. (Surat al-A'raf, 117-119)

The Magicians' Acceptance of Faith and Pharaoh's Anger

The magicians threw themselves down in prostration. They said, 'We believe in the Lord of Harun and Musa.' Pharaoh said, 'Do you believe in him before I have authorised you? He is your chief, the one who taught you magic. I will cut off your hands and feet alternately and have you crucified on palm trunks. Then you will know for certain which of us has the harsher and longer lasting punishment.' They said, 'We will never prefer you to the Clear Signs which have come to us nor to Him Who brought us into being. Decide on any judgment you like. Your jurisdiction only covers the life of this world. We have believed in our Lord so that He may forgive us for our mistakes and for the magic which you forced us to perform. Allah is better and longer lasting.' (Surah Ta Ha, 70-73)

We remain hopeful that our Lord will forgive us our mistakes for being the first of the believers.' (Surat ash-Shu'ara', 51)

You are only avenging yourself on us because we believed in our Lord's Signs when they came to us. Our Lord, pour down steadfastness upon us and take us back to You as Muslims.' (Surat al-A'raf, 126)

Pharaoh's Persistence in Insolence

But then he rallied and called out, saying, 'I am your Lord Most High!' (Surat an-Nazi'at, 23-24)

No one believed in Musa except for a few of his people out of fear that Pharaoh, and the elders, would persecute them. Pharaoh was high and mighty in the land. He was one of the profligate. (Surah Yunus, 83)

Pharaoh said, 'Let me kill Musa and let him call upon his Lord! I am afraid that he may change your religion and bring about corruption in the land.' Musa said, 'I seek refuge in my Lord and your Lord from every proud man who does not believe in the Day of Reckoning.' (Surah Ghafir, 26-27)

The Man in the Palace Keeps His Faith Concealed

A man among Pharaoh's people who believed, but kept his faith concealed, said, 'Are you going to kill a man for saying "My Lord is Allah" when he has brought you Clear Signs from your Lord? If he is telling a lie, be it on his own head. But if he is telling the truth, then some of what he is promising you will certainly happen to you. Allah does not guide any unbridled inveterate liar. My people! The kingdom is yours today, as masters in the land, but who will help us against Allah's violent force, if it comes upon us?' Pharoah said, 'I only show you what I see myself and I only guide you to the path of rectitude.' The man who believed said, 'My people! I fear for you a day like that of the Confederates, the same as happened to the people of Nuh and 'Ad and Thamud and those who followed after them. Allah does not want any injustice for His servants. My people! I fear for you the Day of Calling Out, the Day when you will turn your backs in flight, having no one to protect you from Allah. Whoever Allah misguides will have no guide. Yusuf brought you the Clear Signs before, but you never stopped doubting what he brought to you to the extent that when he died, you said, "Allah will never send another Messenger after him."That is how Allah misguides those who are unbridled and full of doubt.' Those who argue about the Signs of Allah without any authority coming to them do something hateful in the sight of Allah and in the sight of the people who believe.That is how Allah seals up the heart of every arrogant oppressor. (Surah Ghafir, 28-35)

Pharaoh's Demand for a Tower

Pharaoh said, 'Council, I do not know of any other god for you apart from Me. Haman, kindle a fire for me over the clay and build me a lofty tower so that perhaps I may be able to climb up to Musa's God! I consider him a blatant liar.' (Surat al-Qasas, 38)

The Believer Calls Pharaoh and His People to Religion

Pharaoh said, 'Haman, build me a tower so that perhaps I may gain means of access, access to the heavens, so that I can look on Musa's God.Truly I think he is a liar.'That is how Pharaoh's evil actions were made attractive to him and he debarred others from the Path. Pharaoh's scheming led to nothing but ruin. The man who believed said, 'My people! Follow me and I will guide you to the path of rectitude. My people! The life of this world is only fleeting enjoyment. It is the hereafter which is the abode of permanence. Whoever does an evil act will only be repaid with its equivalent. But whoever acts rightly, male or female, being a believer, such a person will enter the Garden, provided for in it without any reckoning. My people! How is it that I call you to salvation while you call me to the Fire? You call me to reject Allah and to associate something with Him about which I have no knowledge, while I call you to the Almighty, the Endlessly Forgiving. There is no question that what you call me to has no foundation either in this world or the hereafter, that our return is to Allah, and that the profligate will be Companions of the Fire. You will remember what I say to you. I consign my affair completely to Allah. Truly Allah sees His servants.' (Surah Ghafir, 36-44)

Pharaoh's Continuing Oppression

The ruling circle of Pharaoh's people said, 'Are you going to leave Musa and his people to cause corruption in the earth and abandon you and your gods?' He said, 'We will kill their sons and let their women live. We have absolute power over them!' (Surat al-A'raf, 127)

The Prophet Musa's (as) Advice to
His People to Be Steadfast

Musa said to his people, 'Seek help in Allah and be steadfast. The earth belongs to Allah. He bequeathes it to any of His servants He wills. The successful outcome is for those who guard against evil.' They said, 'We suffered harm before you came to us and after you came to us.' He said, 'It may well be that your Lord is going to destroy your enemy and make you the successors in the land so that He can see how you behave.' (Surat al-A'raf, 128-129)

Allah's Punishment Imposed on Pharaoh and His People

We seized Pharaoh's people with years of drought and scarcity of fruits so that hopefully they would pay heed. Whenever a good thing came to them, they said, 'This is our due.' But if anything bad happened to them, they would blame their ill fortune on Musa and those with him. No indeed! In truth the omens of evil are theirs in Allah's sight. But most of them did not know. They said, 'No matter what kind of Sign you bring us to bewitch us, we will not believe in you.' So We sent down on them floods, locusts, lice, frogs and blood, Signs, clear and distinct, but they proved arrogant and were an evildoing people. Whenever the plague came down on them they said, 'Musa, pray to your Lord for us by the contract He has with you. If you remove the plague from us, we will definitely believe in you and send the tribe of Israel away with you.' But when We removed the plague from them – for a fixed term which they fulfilled – they broke their word. (Surat al-A'raf, 130-135)

Pharaoh's Scornfulness of His People

Pharaoh called to his people, saying, 'My people, does the kingdom of Egypt not belong to me? Do not all these rivers flow under my control? Do you not then see? Am I not better than this man who is contemptible and can scarcely make anything clear? Why have gold bracelets not been put upon his arms and why is there not a train of angels accompanying him?' Thus did he make fools of his people, and they obeyed him: truly were they a people rebellious. (Surat az-Zukhruf, 51-54)

No one believed in Musa except for a few of his people out of fear that Pharaoh, and the elders, would persecute them. Pharaoh was high and mighty in the land. He was one of the profligate. (Surah Yunus, 83)

The Prophet Musa's (as) Advice to His People
to Put Their Trust in Allah

Musa said, 'My people! If you believe in Allah, then put your trust in Him, if you are Muslims.' They said, 'We have put our trust in Allah. Our Lord, Do not make us a target for this wrongdoing people, and rescue us, by Your mercy, from this disbelieving people!' (Surah Yunus, 84-86)

The Prophet Musa's (as) Prayer for the Destruction
of Pharaoh and His People

Musa said, 'Our Lord, You have given Pharaoh and his ruling circle finery and wealth in the life of this world, Our Lord, so that they may be misguided from Your Way. Our Lord, obliterate their wealth and harden their hearts so that they do not believe until they see the painful punishment.' He said, 'Your request is answered, so go straight and do not follow the way of those who have no knowledge.' (Surah Yunus, 88-89)

The Revelation to the Prophet Musa (as) to Emigrate

We revealed to Musa, 'Travel with My servants by night. Strike a dry path for them through the sea. Have no fear of being overtaken and do not be afraid.' (Surah Ta Ha, 77)

We revealed to Musa: 'Travel with Our servants by night. You will certainly be pursued.' (Surat ash-Shu'ara', 52)

Pharaoh's Pursuit of the Tribe of Israel

Pharaoh sent marshals into the cities: 'These people are a small group and we find them irritating and we constitute a vigilant majority.' We expelled them from gardens and springs, from treasures and a splendid situation. So it was! And We bequeathed them to the tribe of Israel. So they pursued them towards the east. (Surat ash-Shu'ara', 53-60)

The Destruction of Pharaoh and His Troops

And when the two hosts came into sight of one another Musa's companions said, 'We will surely be overtaken!' He said, 'Never! My Lord is with me and He will guide me.' So We revealed to Musa, 'Strike the sea with your staff.' And it split in two, each part like a towering cliff. And We brought the others right up to it. (Surat ash-Shu'ara', 61-64)

We brought the tribe of Israel across the sea and Pharaoh and his troops pursued them out of tyranny and enmity. Then, when he was on the point of drowning, he said, 'I believe that there is no god but Him in Whom the tribe of Israel believe. I am one of the Muslims.' 'What, now! When previously you rebelled and were one of the corrupters? Today we will preserve your body so you can be a Sign for people who come after you. Surely many people are heedless of Our Signs.' (Surah Yunus, 90-92)

We rescued Musa and all those who were with him. Then We drowned the rest. (Surat ash-Shu'ara', 65-66)

How many gardens and fountains they left behind, and ripe crops and noble residences. What comfort and ease they had delighted in! So it was.Yet We bequeathed these things to another people. (Surat ad-Dukhan, 25-28)

And We bequeathed to the people who had been oppressed the easternmost part of the land We had blessed, and its westernmost part as well. The most excellent Word of your Lord was fulfilled for the tribe of Israel on account of their steadfastness. And We utterly destroyed what Pharaoh and his people made and the buildings they constructed. (Surat al-A'raf, 137)

the Fire, morning and night, to which they are exposed; and on the Day the Hour takes place:'Admit Pharaoh's people to the arshest punishment!' (Surah Ghafir, 46)

He will go ahead of his people on the Day of Rising and lead them down into the Fire. What an evil watering-hole to be led to! They are pursued by a curse in this world and on the Day of Rising. What an evil gift to be given! (Surah Hud, 98-99)

Neither heaven nor earth shed any tears for them and they were granted no reprieve. We rescued the tribe of Israel from the humiliating punishment, from Pharaoh – he was haughty, one of the profligate. (Surat ad-Dukhan, 29-31)

The Tribe of Israel Worship Idols

We conveyed the tribe of Israel across the sea and they came upon some people who were devoting themselves to some idols which they had. They said, 'Musa, give us a god just as these people have gods.' He said, 'You are indeed an ignorant people. What these people are doing is destined for destruction. What they are doing is purposeless.' He said, 'Should I seek something other than Allah as a god for you when He has favoured you over all other beings?' Remember when We rescued you from Pharaoh's people who were inflicting an evil punishment on you, killing your sons and letting your women live. In that there was a terrible trial from your Lord. (Surat al-A'raf, 138-141)

The Prophet Musa (as) Speaks to Allah

We set aside thirty nights for Musa and then completed them with ten, so the appointed time of his Lord was forty nights in all. Musa said to his brother Harun, 'Rule my people in my stead. Keep order and do not follow the way of the corrupters.' When Musa came to Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said, 'My Lord, show me Yourself so that I may look at You!' He said, 'You will not see Me, but look at the mountain. If it remains firm in its place, then you will see Me.' But when His Lord manifested Himself to the mountain, He crushed it flat and Musa fell unconscious to the ground. When he regained consciousness he said, 'Glory be to You! I repent to You and I am the first of the believers!' He said, 'Musa, I have chosen you over all mankind for My Message and My Word. Take what I have given you and be among the thankful.' (Surat al-A'raf, 142-144)

'Why have you hurried on ahead of your people, Musa?' He said, 'They are following in my tracks. I have hurried on ahead to you, My Lord, to gain Your good pleasure.' (Surah Ta Ha, 83-84)

The Revelation of the Torah to the Prophet Musa (as)

We wrote about everything for him on the Tablets as an admonition and making all things clear. 'Seize hold of it vigorously and command your people to adopt the best in it. I will show you the home of the deviators!' (Surat al-A'raf, 145)

Remember when We made a covenant with the tribe of Israel: 'Worship none but Allah and be good to your parents and to relatives and orphans and the very poor. And speak good words to people. And perform prayer and pay the welfare tax.' But then you turned away – except a few of you – you turned aside. And when We made a covenant with you not to shed your blood and not to expel one another from your homes, you agreed and were all witnesses. (Surat al-Baqara, 83-84)

Tribe of Israel! We rescued you from your enemy and made an appointment with you on the right hand side of the Mount and sent down manna and quails for you. Eat of the good things We have provided for you but do not go to excess in it or My anger will be unleashed on you. Anyone who has My anger unleashed on him has plunged to his ruin. But I am Ever-Forgiving to anyone who repents and believes and acts rightly and then is guided. (Surah Ta Ha, 80-82)

While the Prophet Musa (as) is on the Mount,
His People Worship the Calf

And when We allotted to Musa forty nights. Then you adopted the Calf when he had gone and you were wrongdoers. Then We pardoned you after that so that perhaps you would show thanks. Remember when We gave Musa the Book and discrimination so that perhaps you would be guided. And when Musa said to his people, 'My people, You wronged yourselves by adopting the Calf so turn towards your Maker and kill yourselves. That is the best thing for you in your Maker's sight.' And He turned towards you. He is the Ever-Returning, the Most Merciful. (Surat al-Baqara, 51-54)

He said, 'We tried your people after you left and the Samaritan has misguided them.' (Surah Ta Ha, 85)

After he left, Musa's people adopted a calf made from their ornaments, a form which made a lowing sound. Did they not see that it could not speak to them or guide them to any way? They adopted it and so they were wrongdoers. (Surat al-A'raf, 148)

The Prophet Musa's (as) Return to His People

When Musa returned to his people in anger and great sorrow, he said, 'What an evil thing you did in my absence after I left! Did you want to hasten your Lord's command?' He threw down the Tablets and seized hold of his brother's head, dragging him towards him. Harun said, 'Son of my mother, The people oppressed me and almost killed me. Do not give my enemies cause to gloat over me. Do not include me with the wrongdoing people.' (Surat al-A'raf, 150)

Musa returned to his people in anger and great sorrow. He said, 'My people, did not your Lord make you a handsome promise? Did the fulfilment of the contract seem too long to you or did you want to unleash your Lord's anger upon yourselves, so you broke your promise to me?' They said, 'We did not break our promise to you of our own volition. But we were weighed down with the heavy loads of the people's jewelry and we threw them in, for that is what the Samaritan did.' Then he produced a calf for them, a physical form which made a lowing sound. So they said, 'This is your god – and Musa's God as well, but he forgot.' Could they not see that it did not reply to them and that it possessed no power to either harm or benefit them? Harun had earlier said to them, 'My people! It is just a trial for you. Your Lord is the All-Merciful, so follow me and obey my command!' They said, 'We will not stop devoting ourselves to it until Musa returns to us.' He said, 'What prevented you following me, Harun, when you saw that they had gone astray? Did you too, then, disobey my command?' He said, 'Son of my mother! Do not seize me by the beard or by the hair. I was afraid that you would say, "You have caused division in the tribe of Israel and taken no notice to anything I said."' He said, 'What do you think you were doing, Samaritan?' He said, 'I saw what they did not see. So I gathered up a handful from the Messenger's footprints and threw it in. That is what my inner self urged me to do.' He said, 'Go! In this world you will have to say, "Untouchable!" And you have an appointment which you will not fail to keep. Look at your god to which you devoted so much time. We will burn it up and then scatter it as dust into the sea. Your god is Allah alone, there is no god but Him. He encompasses all things in His knowledge.' (Surah Ta Ha, 86-98)

He said, 'My Lord, forgive me and my brother and admit us into Your mercy. You are the Most Merciful of the merciful.' As for those who adopted the Calf, anger from their Lord will overtake them together with abasement in the life of this world. That is how we repay the purveyors of falsehood. (Surat al-A'raf, 151-152)

When Musa's anger abated he picked up the Tablets and in their inscription was guidance and mercy for all of them who feared their Lord. (Surat al-A'raf, 154)

The Prophet Musa (as) Asks for Forgiveness

Musa chose seventy men from his people for Our appointed time and when the earthquake seized them he said, 'My Lord, if You had willed, You could have destroyed them previously and me as well. Would you destroy us for what the fools among us did? It was only a trial from You by which You misguided those You willed and guided those You willed. You are our Protector so forgive us and have mercy on us. You are the Best of Forgivers. Prescribe good for us in this world and the hereafter. We have truly turned to You.' He said, 'As for My punishment, I strike with it anyone I will. My mercy extends to all things but I will prescribe it for those who guard against evil and pay the welfare tax, and those who believe in Our Signs. (Surat al-A'raf, 155-156)

The Tribe of Israel Wrong Themselves

We divided them up into twelve tribes – communities. We revealed to Musa, when his people asked him for water: 'Strike the rock with your staff.' Twelve fountains flowed out from it and all the people knew their drinking place. And We shaded them with clouds and sent down manna and quails to them: 'Eat of the good things We have provided you with.' They did not wrong Us; rather it was themselves they wronged. (Surat al-A'raf, 160)

And We shaded you with clouds and sent down manna and quails to you: 'Eat of the good things We have provided for you.' They did not wrong Us; rather it was themselves they were wronging. (Surat al-Baqara, 57)

The People of Prophet Musa (as) Refuse to Follow Him

When they were told: 'Live in this town and eat of it wherever you like and say, "Relieve us of our burdens!" and enter the gate prostrating. Your mistakes will be forgiven you. We will grant increase to good-doers.' But those of them who did wrong substituted words other than those they had been given. So We sent a plague on them from heaven for their wrongdoing. (Surat al-A'raf, 161-162)

Remember when Musa said to his people, 'My people! Remember Allah's blessing to you when He appointed Prophets among you and appointed kings for you, and gave you what He had not given to anyone else in all the worlds! 'My people! Enter the Holy Land which Allah has ordained for you. Do not turn back in your tracks and so become transformed into losers.' They said, 'There are tyrants in it, Musa. We will not enter it until they leave. If they leave it, then we will go in.' Two men among those who were afraid, but whom Allah had blessed, said, 'Enter the gate against them! Once you have entered it, you will be victorious. Put your trust in Allah if you are believers.' They said, 'We will never enter it, Musa, as long as they are there. So you and your Lord go and fight. We will stay sitting here.' (Surat al-Ma'ida, 20-24)

Allah's Gift to the Tribe of Israel and Their Ingratitude,
and Their Substituting for the Commands of Torah
Others Than Those They Had Been Given

And We divided them into nations in the earth. Some of them are righteous and some are other than that. We tried them with good and evil so that hopefully they would return. An evil generation has succeeded them, inheriting the Book, taking the goods of this lower world, and saying, 'We will be forgiven.' But if similar goods come to them again they still take them. Has not a covenant been made with them in the Book, that they should only say the truth about Allah and have they not studied what is in it? The Final Abode is better for those who guard against evil. Will you not use your intellect? (Surat al-A'raf, 168-169)

Woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say 'This is from Allah' to sell it for a paltry price. Woe to them for what their hands have written! Woe to them for what they earn! (Surat al-Baqara, 79)

Remember when We made a covenant with you and lifted up the Mount above your heads: 'Take hold vigorously of what We have given you and listen.' They said, 'We hear and disobey.' They were made to drink the Calf into their hearts because of their disbelief. Say, 'If you are believers, what an evil thing your faith has made you do.' (Surat al-Baqara, 93)

They do not measure Allah with His true measure when they say, 'Allah would not send down anything to a mere human being.' Say: 'Who, then, sent down the Book which Musa brought as a Light and Guidance for the people?' You put it down on sheets of paper to display it while concealing much. You were taught things you did not know, neither you nor your forefathers. Say: 'Allah!' Then leave them engrossed in playing their games. (Surat al-An'am, 91)

If only the People of the Book had believed and guard against evil, We would have erased their evil deeds from them and admitted them into Gardens of Delight. If only they had implemented the Torah and the Injil and what was sent down to them from their Lord, they would have been fed from above their heads and beneath their feet. Among them there is a moderate group but what most of them do is evil. (Surat al-Ma'ida, 65-66)

We gave the Book and Judgement and Prophethood to the tribe of Israel and provided them with good things and favoured them over all other people. We made the Commandments very clear to them and they only differed after knowledge came to them, tyrannising one other. Your Lord will decide between them on the Day of Rising regarding the things they differed about. (Surat al-Jathiyya, 16-17)

The metaphor of those who were charged with the Torah but then have not upheld it, is that of a donkey loaded with weighty tomes. How evil is the metaphor of those who deny Allah's Signs! Allah does not guide wrongdoing people. (Surat al-Jumu'a, 5)

Their Denial of the Prophet Musa (as)

We made a covenant with the tribe of Israel and We sent Messengers to them. Each time a Messenger came to them with something their lower selves did not desire, they denied some and they murdered others. (Surat al-Ma'ida, 70)

We gave Musa the Book and sent a succession of Messengers after him. We gave 'Isa, son of Maryam, the Clear Signs and reinforced him with the Purest Spirit. Why then, whenever a Messenger came to you with something your lower selves did not desire, did you grow arrogant, and deny some of them and murder others? (Surat al-Baqara, 87)

They thought there would be no testing. They were blind and deaf. Then Allah turned towards them. Then many of them went blind and deaf again. Allah sees what they do. (Surat al-Ma'ida, 71)

Their Request to See Allah in Order to Believe

And when you said, 'Musa, we will not believe in you until we see Allah with our own eyes.' So the thunder-bolt struck you dead while you were looking. Then We brought you back to life after your death, so that perhaps you would show thanks. (Surat al-Baqara, 55-56)

Allah's Blessings on the Tribe of Israel

And We shaded you with clouds and sent down manna and quails to you: 'Eat of the good things We have provided for you.' They did not wrong Us; rather it was themselves they were wronging. Remember when We said, 'Go into this town. and eat from it wherever you like, freely. Enter the gate prostrating and say, "Relieve us of our burdens!" Your mistakes will be forgiven. We will grant increase to all good-doers.' But those who did wrong substituted words other than those they had been given. So We sent down a plague from heaven on those who did wrong because they were deviators. And when Musa was looking for water for his people, We said, 'Strike the rock with your staff.' Then twelve fountains gushed out from it and all the people knew their drinking place. 'Eat and drink of Allah's provision and do not go about the earth corrupting it.' (Surat al-Baqara, 57-60)

The Ingratitude of the Tribe of Israel for Blessings

And when you said, 'Musa, we will not put up with just one kind of food so ask your Lord to supply to us some of what the earth produces – its green vegetables, cucumbers, grains, lentils and onions,' he said, 'Do you want to replace what is better with what is inferior? Go back to Egypt, then you will have what you are asking for.' Abasement and destitution were stamped upon them. They brought down anger from Allah upon themselves. That was because they rejected Allah's Signs and killed the Prophets without any right to do so. That was because they rebelled and went beyond the limits. (Surat al-Baqara, 61)

We made it an exemplary punishment for those there then, and those coming afterwards, and a warning to those who guard against evil. (Surat al-Baqara, 66)

Ask them about the town which was by the sea when they broke the Sabbath – when their fish came to them near the surface on their Sabbath day but did not come on the days which were not their Sabbath. In this way We put them to the test because they were deviators. When a group of them said, 'Why do you rebuke a people whom Allah is going to destroy or severely punish?' they said, 'So that we have an excuse to present to your Lord, and so that hopefully they will guard against evil.' Then when they forgot what they had been reminded of, We rescued those who had forbidden the evil and seized those who did wrong with a harsh punishment because they were deviators. When they were insolent about what they had been forbidden to do, We said to them, 'Be apes, despised, cast out!' Then your Lord announced that He would send against them until the Day of Rising people who would inflict an evil punishment on them. Your Lord is Swift in Retribution. And He is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surat al-A'raf, 163-167)

You are well aware of those of you who broke the Sabbath. We said to them, 'Be apes, despised, cast out.' (Surat al-Baqara, 65)

Allah's Command to the Tribe of Israel to Sacrifice a Cow

And when Musa said to his people, 'Allah commands you to sacrifice a cow,' they said, 'What! Are you making a mockery of us?' He said, 'I seek refuge with Allah from being one of the ignorant!' They said, 'Ask your Lord to make it clear to us what it should be like.' He said, 'He says it should be a cow, not old or virgin, but somewhere between the two. So do as you have been told.' They said, 'Ask your Lord to make it clear to us what colour it should be.' He said, 'He says it should be a brignt yellow cow, a pleasure to all who look.' They said, 'Ask your Lord to make it clear to us what it should be like. Cows are all much the same to us. Then, if Allah wills, we will be guided.' He said, 'He says it should be a cow not trained to plough or irrigate the fields – completely sound, without a blemish on it.' They said, 'Now you have brought the truth.' So they sacrificed it – but they almost did not do it. Remember when you killed someone and violently accused each other of it, and Allah brought out what you were hiding. We said, 'Hit him with part of it!' In that way Allah gives life to the dead and He shows you His Signs so that hopefully you will understand. (Surat al-Baqara, 67-73)

The Story of the Prophet Musa (as) and
One Who Had Been Given Knowledge

But when they reached their meeting-place, they forgot their fish which quickly burrowed its way into the sea. When they had gone a distance further on, he said to his servant, 'Bring us our morning meal. Truly this journey of ours has made us tired.' He said, 'Do you see what has happened? When we went to find shelter at the rock, I forgot the fish. No one made me forget to remember it except Satan. It found its way into the sea in an amazing way.' He said, 'That is the very thing that we were looking for!' So, following their footsteps, they retraced their route. They found a servant of Ours whom We had granted mercy from Us and whom We had also given knowledge direct from Us. Musa said to him, 'May I follow you on condition that you teach me some of the right guidance you have been taught?' He said, 'You will not be able to bear with me. How indeed could you bear with patience something you have not encompassed in your knowledge?' Musa said, 'You will find me patient, if Allah wills, and I will not disobey you in any matter.' He said, 'Then if you follow me, do not question me about anything until I myself make mention of it to you.' They continued until they boarded a boat and he scuppered it. Then Musa said, 'Did you scupper it so that its owners would be drowned? This is truly a dreadful thing that you have done!' He said, 'Did I not say that you would not be able to bear with me?' Musa said, 'Do not take me to task because I forgot. Do not demand of me something which is too difficult.' So they went on until they met a youngster whom he killed. Musa said, 'Have you killed a boy who has done no wrong, without it being in retaliation for someone else? This is truly an appalling thing that you have done!' He said, 'Did I not tell you that you would not be able to bear with me?' Musa said, 'If I ask you about anything after this, then you should no longer keep me company. I will have given you excuse enough.' So they went on until they reached the inhabitants of a town. They asked them for food but they refused them hospitality. They found there a wall about to fall down and he built it up. Musa said, 'If you had wanted, you could have taken a wage for doing that.' He said, 'This is where you and I part company. I will let you know the explanation of those things about which you were not able to restrain yourself. As for the boat, it belonged to some poor people who worked on the sea. I wanted to damage it because a king was coming behind them, commandeering every boat. As for the boy, his parents were believers and we feared that he would darken their days with excessive insolence and disbelief. We wanted their Lord to give them in exchange a purer son than him, one more compassionate. As for the wall, it belonged to two young orphans in the town and there was a treasure underneath it, belonging to them. Their father was one of the righteous and your Lord wanted them to come of age and then to unearth their treasure as a mercy from Him. I did not do it of my own volition. That is the explanation of the things about which you were not able to restrain yourself.' (Surat al-Kahf, 61-82)

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